Safety device for reversible winding or hauling plants.



W. PHILIP.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR REVERSIBLE WINDING OR HAULING PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30, 1909.

999,520, Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

3 B HEETBSHEET 1.

w. PHILIP. SAIETY DEVICE FOR REVERSIBLE WINDING 0B HAULlN-G PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30,-1909.

Patented Au 1, 1911.

H' I I I I FM ooLulllA rum-Am 50-, WAIIIING'ION, D. c.

W. PHILIP. SAPBTYDEVICE FOR REVERSIBLE WINDING 0B HAULING PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30, 1909.

Patented Alig. 1, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mull mum 00.. VIAMIMON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM PHILIP, OF GERMISTON, TRANSVAAL.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR REVERSIBLE WINDING OR I-IAULING PLANTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM PHILIP, foreman fitter, a British subject,residing at the Simmer & Jack East Limited, Germiston, Transvaal, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for ReversiblelVinding or HaulingPlants, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to winding or hauling plants, whetheroperated by steam, electric power or otherwise, in connection with whichthe driver is required to reverse the direction of movement at thetermination of each trip.

It sometimes happens that after stopping the engine the driver omits toperform the reversing operation; with the result that on the neXt tripthe cage or skin is started in the wrong direction, leading notinfrequently to loss of life.

It isthe purpose of the present invention to afford the driver a clearaudible, visual or like indication when the reversing mechanism isdangerously positioned. To this end there is employed a part or partsmoving positively with the winding drum or with the skip or cage, as thecase may be, such that when said part reaches a predeterminedposition,e. 9., that corresponding to the end of a trip,it tends toactuate the signal. The actuation of the signal however is controlled bysome suitable element of the reversing gear having a defined andpositive motion, whereby the signaling mechanism is rendered operativewhen the reversing gear is in the dangerous position with reference tothat of the skip for the time being, but otherwise is rendered inoerative.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I sho more or less diagrammaticallya windlng plant fitted with one form of the invention, the signal beingout of operation. Fig. II is an enlarged partial view showing the signalin action, Fig. III illustrates an alternative construction for carryingout the invention, Fig. IV is an enlarged detail view of Fig. I, showinga device for varying the signaling point, Fig. V is a plan of Fig. IV,Fig. VI is a similar view wlth the position of a part changed, and Figs.VIIIX illustrate an alternative device for varying the signaling point,Fig. IX being a plan of Fig. VIII.

Referring to Figs. I and II,-1 indicates a winding engine operating apair of skips Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 30, 1909.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

Serial No. 515,327.

or the like 2 and 3 simultaneously in opposite directions in the shaftl. Numerals 5 and 6 indicate the pointers for said skips 2 and 3respectively, in a well known form of skip indicating device. In suchdevice the pointers 5 and 6 are attached respectively to nuts ortravelers 7 and 8 which are prevented from turning in any suitablemanner and travel upon screw-threaded rods 9, 10, adapted to be rotatedby movement of the "rope drums l1, l2, actuating the skips; that is nut7 moves with skip 2 and nut 8 with skip 3. In the example shown, saidnuts or travelers are employed to operate the motion transmitting meansfor actuating the signaling means; but where it is consideredundesirable to impose such additional function upon the indicatingdevice, any other convenient mechanism having equivalent parts movingwith the skips may be employed for the purpose.

It will be understood that by the term signaling means I do notnecessarily limit myself to an electric bell or an electric lightlocated in a circuit having a battery, although such a construction isthe simplest means immediately apparent, and by the term signalingmeans, therefore, in so far as the drawings are concerned I refer not tothe bell or light alone, but to the electric circuit having terminalpoints adapted to be closed by suitable means actuated by the operatingor driving means for the plant. It will also be understood that thetravelers 7 and 8 are prevented from turning with the threaded rods inany well known way, for instance in Figs. III, IV, V and VI there isillustrated a vertical guide bar 8 having a flat face resting againstthe squared end of the traveler, behind the indicator points 5 and 6,the position of this fiat bar being more clearly shown in Figs. V andVI.

In operative relation with the nuts or travelers are pivoted tappets 13and let, each provided at the end with an anti-friction roller 15. Thetappets are so disposed as to be lifted by their nuts or travelers whenthe latter approach the position indicative of the corresponding skipbeing at the land ing stage, tip or other selected limit-ing point ofits trip; and so also that should either nut or traveler continue tomove after having so lifted the tappet, the roller 15 of the latter willrun along the side of the nut or traveler, thereby avoiding straining ordisplacement of the parts. Said tappets 13 and let are severallyconnected, as by rods 16 and 17, to a Jair of bell cranks 18 and 19 eachconnectec to one end of an arcuate floating link 20 which may normallyrest upon adjustable posts 21. The methods of connection between thetappets 13 and H and the link 20,as will be un derstood from thedrawings,is such that lifting of either tappet raises its correspondingend of the link. A short idle link 22 is inserted between one bellcrank, say 18, and the floating link 20, to compensate for theangularity of the motion of the bell crank arms.

Centrally above the floating link 20, a cross head 23 is arranged toslide in a vertical guide 24. To said cross head is pivoted one end of aradius rod 25 the other end of which engages wit-h a slot 26 formed inlink 20. Said slot 26 is arcuate to the-upper pivot of the radius rod,so that when the link 20 is lying horizontally the radius rod may beswung from side to side of the slot 26 without moving the cross head 23.

Above the cross head is arranged an electric contact device consistingof the two spring terminals 27 which may be connected by forcing thespring controlled plug 28 between them. A contact of this form is preferred owing to the rubbing action which keeps the contacting surfacesbright. The terminals 27 are arranged in circuit with a source ofcurrent 29 and with a signaling means such as the bell 30 and lamp 31;a. finger 32 having an insulated top 38 is carried by the cross head 23and forces in plug 28 to close the circuit when the cross head israised.

The radius rod 25 is connected by a rod 34 to the reversing lever of thewinding engine, so as to move therewith; and so also that upon eitherskip coming to the surface and the reversing gear remaining in positionto continue said skips upward motion, the radius rod will be at that endof link 20 which is lifted in consequence of such arrival of the skip.Thus in Fig. I, lever 35 is so positioned that the engine is raisingskip 2 corresponding to traveler i and the radius rod 25 is consequentlyover at the right hand end of link 20. Vhen, as indicated by dottedlines in Fig, I, the rising skip 2 has arrived at the surface, themechanism takes up the position of Fig. 11, 6., nut 7 op erates to liftthe right hand end of link 20 and with it the radius rod 25 whereby thesignal is actuated and the driver warned. The signal continues inoperation until, as illustrated by dotted lines, Fig. H, lever isreversed and rod 25 is carried rith it to the unraised left hand end oflink 20, thereby breaking the signal circuit. hen on the next trip skip3 comes to the surface the signal will again be actuated, this time bymeans of traveler 8, until the lever 35 and rod 25 are restored to theiroriginal position. Vhen neither skip is at the surface, and consequentlylink 20 is horizontal, reversal of the engine may be effected freelywithout actuating the signal; and similarly no signal will be made uponthe arrival of a skip, in the event of the engine having been previouslyreversed to retard the skip's motion, since the reversing gear will notthen be in a dangerous position.

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 111, the nuts 7 and 8 operateelectric contacts 36 and 37 respectively, in the signal circuit. Also incircuit with said contacts 36 and 37 are the contacts 38 and 39 securedto an insulating f -ame 4E0 pivoted to a support 41. A rod 42 pivoted tothe reversing lever 35 passes through and helps to support said framel-O, and carries an insulated metal boss which on movement of lever toone extreme or the other joins the contacts 38 or 39 as the case may be.This arrangementoperates similarly to that already de scribed, that isto say, when the reversing gear is dangerously positioned, at the end.of a trip, contacts 36 and 38, or 37 and 39 cooperate to cause theactuation of the signal.

Means may be provided for varying the point or points at which thesignal is or may be brought into operation. Thus, adjustment of a moreor less permanent nature may be secured by severing the rods 16 and 17(Figs. 1 and II), and inter-posing turnbuckles le by which such rods maybe varied in length in order to bring the tap pets 13 and 1e nearer toor farther from their respective nuts. The conditions under which somewinding plants are worked, call for a simpler and more rapidadjustin'ient. For instance, men may require to be landed at the collar45 of the shaft 4, while rock is hoisted up into the head gear L6 to betipped into bins 47. An adjustment suitable for these conditions isshown in Figs. l. and ll and to an enlarged scale in Figs. IV JI. Eachindicator nut or traveler 7, 8, is fitted with a hinged block 4-8, whichmay be turned over to lie on top of the nut in the path of thecorresponding tappets 13, 1%, or thrown back out of the way. The twofaces of the block 48 may carry indicia denoting different conditions ofwinding. Thus, as seen in V, the face uppermost when the block is turnedinto the path of the tappet, may be inscribed with the word Men; andsuch turning in of the block causes the signal to be given appropriatelyfor stopping the cage at the collar. On the other side of the block maybe the word Rock (Fig. V1), and when the block is so positioned as toshow this word, the signal will be adjusted for winding up to the tip.Figs. VII to TX illustrate a simila adjustn'ient adapted for use with anindicator having a dial around which the pointer 49 revolves.

this case, the tappet 50 for actuating the signal is moved by a camplate 51 having the two cam steps 52 and 53 (Fig. VII).

Referring to Figs. VIII and IX, the cross head 23 and finger 32 aresimilar to those of Fig. I. The contact terminals 27 and the spring plug28 are fixed upon a carrier 54, so mounted upon the cross head guide 24as to be adjustable vertically thereto. Said carrier 54 is supported bya nut 55 working upon a post 56 screwed with a quick thread. From thenut projects a handle 57 by which it may be rotated through an arc tolower or raise the contact device with respect to the finger 32 and socause the signal to be actuated by either cam step 52 or 53 as required.The handle 57 may move over a plate 58 carrying indicating words andprovided with detent devices 59 for holding the handle in either extremeposition.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the invention maybe embodied in a great variety of forms according to. the kind ofwinding or hauling plant to which it is to be applied. It will also beunderstood that although for convenience the signal has been describedas coming into operation upon the skip or cage nearing the surface, itmay equally well be brought into operation upon the attainment of anyother point at which reversal of the engine is requisite. It may here beremarked that in addition to its primary function of safeguarding theneXt future trip, the invention operates incidentally as a warningagainst over-winding during the current trip.

It has already been proposed to provide a hoisting engine with anautomatically closing throttle valve capable of being opened by thereversing lever through intermediate mechanism. Said intermediatemechanism is actuated by equivalents of the tappets 13 andla, andoperates upon the skip reaching a terminal point of its trip to breakconnection between the lever and the valve, thereby permitting thelatter to close automatically. The intermediate mechanism so moves thatconnection between the lever and the valve can only be restored byreversing the lever. Such proposed apparatus is thought to be open toserious objection. It is frequently necessary for the driver, afterhaving once shut off steam or reversed the engine in order to check theskip when nearing the surface, to again give the engine steam once ortwice to insure the skip reaching its destination. Again when working apair of skips and changing loading stations, one skip may be keptstationary at its terminal station, While the other is moved up or downas the case may require. It is also customary in some collieries to landthe cage upon chairs so that the corves may be run into or from it; andbefore starting the cage downward, it is necessary first to lift itslightly to permit the chairs to be withdrawn. To enable theseoperations to be carried out with the former apparatus, it would benecessary to employ a by-pass steam valve, which would in effect cut outthe automatic throttle valve. This, however, would add a factor ofuncertainty and complexity in the control of the winding engine at themost critical time; a condition of affairs to be sedulously avoided.Perhaps the most serious objection however, is that by purporting toinsure the safety of the skip by automatic means, the device tends tolessen the vigilance of the driver and thereby actually work more harmthan good. The present invention, on the other hand, while leaving theentire control of the skip to the driver, stimulates the exercise of hisvigilance when the same is most needed.

It is especially to be noted that the pres ent invention differsfunctionally from the prior device. In the latter, external interferencewith the engine control is introduced, leading as shown above, tointricacy of working and complication of parts. 011 the other hand, thepresent invention calls for no variation whatever in the windingmechanism or method of operating it; but the usual reversing gear isgiven control over the accomplishment of the function of apparatusentirely distinct from the winding mechanism itself.

hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a windingor hauling plant, the combination of a skip or the like, operating meanstherefor, a reversing lever, signaling means, signal controlling meansconsisting of a movable member, connecting means between saidcontrolling means and said reversing lever, and means actuated by saidoperating means and tending to actuate said signaling means through saidcontrolling means, substantially as described.

2. In a winding or hauling plant, the combination of a skip or the like,operating means therefor, reversing mechanism, signaling means, signalcontrolling means adapted to be positioned to set said signaling meansfor actuation upon the skip arriving in the vicinity of the terminalpoint of a given trip and to remain so positioned until the reversingmechanism is shifted, connecting means between said controlling meansand reversing mechanism, and means actuated by said operating meanstending to actuate said signaling means through said controlling means,substantially as described.

3. In a winding or hauling plant, the combination of a skip or the like,operating means therefor, reversing mechanism, signaling means, motiontransmit-ting means including as an element signal controlling means,adapted to be operated upon the skip reaching a predetermined positionto actuate said signaling means, and means connecting said reversingmechanism with said controlling means for setting said motiontransmitting means in proper operative position, substantially asdescribed.

at. In a winding or hauling plant, the combination of a skip or thelike, operating means therefor, reversing mechanism, signaling means,motion transmitting means, including as an element signal controllingmeans, means actuated by said operating means cooperating with saidmotion transmitting means for rendering a signal at a predetermined timein one direction of movement of said operating means, and meansconnecting said reversing mechanism with said signal controlling meansfor shifting the latter to interrupt a signal and reset the motiontransmitting means for actuation at a predetermined time in a reversedirection of movement of said operating means, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a winding or hauling plant, the combination of a skip or the like,operating means therefor, reversing mechanism, signaling means, a curvedlink, means for movably supporting the ends of said link, meansactuating said supporting means at a pre determined position of saidskips travel, signal controlling means, comprising as an element aradius red at one end -slidingly engaging said curved link, and meansconnecting said reversing mechanism with said radius rod for shiftingsaid rod along said link, substantially as described.

(5. In a winding or hauling plant, the combination of a skip or thelike, operating means therefor, reversing mechanism, signaling means, aslotted link, signal controlling means, comprising as an element aradius rod provided at one end with means associated with said signalingmeans and at its other end engaging within the slot of said link, meanstiltingly supporting the ends of said link, means actuating saidtiltingly supporting means by the movement of said operating means atpredetermined times, and means connecting said reversing mechanism withsaid radius rod for shifting the end of said rod along said slot,substantially as described.

7. In a winding or hauling plant, the combination of a skip or the like,operating means therefor, reversing mechanism, electric signaling means,a slotted link, signal controlling means, comprising as an element aradius rod at one end supporting an electrical circuit controllingmember associated with the circuit of said signaling means, and at itsother end engaging within the slot of said link, means tiltinglysupporting the ends of said link, means actuating said tiltinglysupporting means by the movement of said operating means atpredetermined times, and means connecting said reversing mechanism withsaid radius rod for shifting the end of said rod along said slot,substantially as described.

8. In a winding or hauling plant, the combination of a skip or the like,operating means therefor, reversing mechanism, a pair of levers, acurved link pivotally supported at its ends by the free ends of saidlevers, signal controlling means comprising as an element a radius rodoperatively associated at one end with said signaling means and at itsother end slidingly engaging said curved link, means for automaticallyrocking said levers at predetermined times in the movement of said skip,and means connecting said reversing mechanism with said radius rod forshifting same along said link and setting said signal controlling meansin position to be actuated. upon the movement of the respective ends ofsaid link, substantially as described.

9. In a winding or hauling plant, the combination of a skip or the like,operating means therefor, reversing mechanism, signaling means, motiontransmitting means for controlling the signaling means and connectedwith the reversing mechanism, travelers moving with said operating meansand arranged to contact with and operate said motion transmitting meansat predetermined times, and means for varying the time of operating saidmotion transmitting means by said travelers, substantially as described.

10. In a winding or hauling plant, the combination of a skip or thelike, operating means therefor, reversing mechanism, signaling means,motion transmitting means for controlling the signaling means andconnected with the reversing mechanism, travelers moving with saidoperating means and arranged to contact with and operate said motiontransmitting means at predetermined times, and means for varying thetime of contact between said motion transmitting means and saidtravelers, comprising a part carried by said travelers and independentlymovable thereon to adjust its position relatively to said motiontransmitting means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

IVILLIAM PHILIP. lVitnesses ALFRED L. Sroon, lVrsLnY A. J OI'IN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

